1. www.mndcampaigns.org/cutswatch

2. Why are we here? Cuts are hitting people with MND The Association has launched Cuts Watch – a campaign that maps the impact of cuts, reductions and changes to vital care and services that people with MND need, and rely on. Cuts Watch stories will be used to inform our campaigning and influencing activities nationally and locally. As a branch/group, we need to feed back local stories of cuts (that we are aware of) that are having a negative impact on people with MND in our area.

3. Why do we need to do this? To show the Assembly, local decision makers, and the public, the impact cuts are having, and ensure that people with MND do not lose out during this extremely challenging period of reforms and budget cuts.

4. What do we mean by a ‘cut’? Statutory bodies are making cutbacks in jobs, services, funding to make ‘efficiency savings’*. This is leading to: raising eligibility thresholds growing waiting times for assessments harder to obtain NHS Continuing Healthcare funding delays in accessing services due to cutting back of staff cuts to direct payments There is already evidence being received by colleagues that people with MND are being affected by cuts and changes to services. The examples above are just a few of the issues affecting people with MND.

5. How to tell your story Visit the new interactive map and complete a very simple online form via www.mndcampaigns.org/cutswatch www.mndcampaigns.org/cutswatch Stories can be submitted anonymously

6. Fill in a Cuts Watch leaflet

7. Other ways to tell your story Email – send your story to campaigns@mndassociation.org campaigns@mndassociation.org Phone – call Raj (national campaigns manager) on 020 8551 2152

8. What we need to do Speak out - If you, or people with MND that you know, have experienced cuts or changes to services, or know of any planned changes to services, then feed this into Cuts Watch – you can do this anonymously if you wish Spread the Word – Distribute Cuts Watch leaflets to people with MND, carers and health and social care professionals working with people with MND. Share the www.mndcampaigns.org/cutswatch link on social networking pages.www.mndcampaigns.org/cutswatch